The Nomenclature of Cultivated Japanese Flowering Cherries (Prunus): the Sato-Zakura Group
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The Nomenclature of Cultivated Japanese Flowering Cherries (Prunus): The Sato-zakura Group ^, United States Agricultural National IL§Ji) Department of Research Arboretum ^jgp^ Agriculture Service Contribution Number 5 Historic, archived document Do not assume content reflects current scientific knowledge, policies, or practice Abstract Jefferson, Roland M., and Kay Kazue Wain. 1984. The nomenclature of cultivated Japanese flowering cherries {Prunus): The Sato-zakura group. U.S. Department of Agriculture, National Arboretum Contribution No. 5, 44 pp. Japanese flowering cherries are grown all over the temperate world. Wherever they occur, nomenclature problems exist. Before any serious taxonomical study of this complex plant group can be made, a solution to these problems is necessary. This publication offers a logical way to solve them. For the first time, it brings existing names used for Japanese flowering cherries into conformity with the "International Code of Nomenclature for Cultivated Plants-1980" and separates selections of cultivated origin from all other botanical taxa of Prunus. Further, it provides a means for naming future Japanese flowering cherry introductions of unknown or confused origins so that their status in horticultural nomenclature is clearly established. KEYWORDS: Cherry blossoms, flowering cherries, Japanese flowering cherries, oriental flowering cherries, ornamental cherries, Prunus donarium, Prunus lannesiana, Prunus Sato-zakura group, Prunus serrulata, Sakura, Sato-zakura, Yama-zakura, zakura. The Nomenclature of Cultivated Japanese Flowering Cherries (Prunus): The Sato-zakura Group By Roland M. Jefferson and Kay Kazue Wain \ United States Agricultural National Arboretum |j Department of Research Agriculture Service Contribution Number 5 Foreword Prunus comprises 400 species growing naturally in the Northern Hemisphere. It is the genus in which all of our stone fruits are found—almonds, apricots, cherries, nectarines, peaches, and plums. The obvious benefit from all these trees is the edible fruit that turns up on our tables in pies, preserves, beverages, or in a fruit bowl. The assumption of fruiting also means that all Prunus species are flowering trees. The most spectacular flowering tree is the CHERRY. No other tree has received the worldwide acclaim that has been heaped on its delicate white-to-pink flowers. Cherries are found growing in Europe, North America, and Asia. The Japanese flowering cherries have a long history of collection, propagation, and culture on their isolated islands. The Japanese language—spoken or visually presented—further compounds the communication problems with English-speaking gardeners. There is, thus, much confusion as to what is the correct name to use in light of current taxonomic views. This publication on "Sato-zakura" (village cherries) is one of many endeavors by Roland M. Jefferson to document and organize the world literature and to assemble living collections of flowering cherry germplasm at the U.S. National Arboretum. Jefferson's efforts with the very capable assistance of Kay Kazue Wain, coauthor of this monograph, add to a legacy, worthy of the centuries, that Japanese cherries have made each spring so beautiful. HENRY M. CATHEY, DIRECTOR U.S. National Arboretum in Acknowledgments We acknowledge our sincere appreciation to Theodore R. Dudley, research botanist, Frank S. Santamour, Jr., research geneticist, and other U.S. National Arboretum staff members whose informative input, critique, and encouragement aided in solving many of the problems that developed during the preparation of this publication. We also thank the following persons for assisting us in locating many of the extremely rare references that were vitally needed to complete this monograph: Thaddeus Ohta, reference librarian, Japanese Section, Asian Division, U.S. Library of Congress, Washington, D.C.; William J. Dress, professor emeritus, and Peter A. Hyypio, curator, both with the Bailey Hortorium, Cornell University, Ithaca, N.Y.; and Stephen A. Spongberg, horticultural taxonomist, The Arnold Arboretum, Cambridge, Mass. In addition, we are greatly indebted to Andrea DuBois Scarborough of the U.S. National Arboretum for providing critical comments and assistance during the preparation of this publication. Finally, we pay tribute to all past botanists and nonbotanists whose knowledge of Japanese flowering cherries became the basis of our research. Contents Page I ntroduction 1 Nomenclature problems, 1 Clarification attempts ___. j Wild and cultivated taxa 3 The Sato-zakura group 4 Objectives __ 4 Cultivated code for nomenclature clarification and explanatory notes for cultivar list 6 Cultivars of Prunus: The Sato-zakura group 9 Cultivar names not affected by this nomenclature revision 30 Annotated references __ 33 Cover: A reproduction of Prunus (Sato-zakura group) cv. Fugenzo from Ihe Ito, "Zoho Kadan Taizen" (1813). (Translation of Japanese is Fugenzo sakura.) Copies of this publication may be purchased from the National Technical Information Service, 5285 Port Royal Road, Springfield, Va. 22161. Issued July 1984 The Nomenclature of Cultivated Japanese Flowering Cherries (Prunus): The Sato-zakura Group by Roland M. Jefferson and Kay Kazue Wain 1 Introduction Nomenclature Problems To anyone attempting a detailed literature study of Japanese flowering cherries, it becomes quickly evident that serious nomenclature problems exist. Two of the best known selections of Japanese flowering cherries in the United States are often referred to as Prunus serrulata Lindley cv. Amanogawa and cv. Fugenzo. For many years these cultivar names have occurred in numerous lists of ornamental cherry collections, popular and scientific articles, and nursery catalogs published in the United States and Europe. Yet, in notable Japanese references, such as Sano (1961) and Ohwi and Ohta (1973), the selection known as P. serrulata cv. Amanogawa in the United States and Europe is cited as P. lannesiana Wilson cv. Erecta, and P. serrulata cv. Fugenzo is referred to as P. lannesiana cv. Fugenzo. The Latin epithet erecta (a synonym of cv. Amanogawa) was first used in Japan as a forma by Miyoshi (1916) in a comprehensive effort to bring the nomenclature for all cultivated types of Japanese flowering cherries into conformity with the "International Code of Botanical Nomenclature" of the time. He erected 67 new Latin names and botanical ranks for existing Japanese flowering cherries that today are clearly designated as cultivars. To further add to the confused state of the nomenclature, some European horticultural listings show cv. Amanogawa and cv. Fugenzo as "P. cerasus Amanogawa" and "P. avium flore pleno Fugenzo," respectively. Although the error of using P. cerasus L. and P. avium (L.) L., both valid European cherry species names, as specific epithets for cultivated selections of Japanese flowering cherries is obvious to plant taxonomists, this misapplication vividly illustrates the nomenclature problems. Because of their unknown origin, cv. Amanogawa and cv. Fugenzo cannot be classified as pertaining botanically to any Japanese or European species. There can be little doubt that many botanists of the early 20th century questioned the validity of assigning botanical species epithets in an attempt to classify cultivated selections of the Japanese flowering 1 Respectively, botanist, U.S. National Arboretum, Agricultural Research Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Washington, D.C. 20002, and faculty research assistant, University of Maryland, College Park, Md. 20740. cherries. Wilson (1916) demonstrated concern in the introduction to his book "The Cherries of Japan" when he wrote: "I am in the fortunate position of having seen the types or cotypes of all the new species of Japanese cherries proposed by Koehne, and I share Koidzumi's view that not one of them is valid. I have had the pleasure of studying some species of cherries in the field with Mr. Koidzumi and am indebted to him for authentic material of all his species and varieties. I differ from him widely in the acceptance of the rank to which some of his species and varieties are entitled. Nevertheless, Koidzumi's estimate of eleven Japanese species of the subgenus Cerasus and mine of ten species are nearly the same. "My investigations in Japan show that five species of cherry produce forms with double flowers, but that nearly all the double-flowered cherries of Japanese gardens are derived from P. serrulata Lindley and P. lannesiana Wilson. Some of these cherries are somewhat intermediate in appearance and it is possible that hybrids exist between these species. There is no actual evidence for or against the theory, but I incline to the belief that the double-flowered cherries have arisen as sports from the parent species and have been perpetuated by the vegetative propagation by the Japanese." Clarification Attempts Since the early 1900's, several botanists and horticulturists in Japan, Europe, and the United States have attempted to bring taxonomic order to the confused, nomenclature of cultivated Japanese flowering cherries. Most noteworthy among them are Veitch, "Hortus Veitchii" (1906); Koehne, "Die in Deutschland Eingefuhrten Japanischen Zierkirschen in Mitteilungen des Deutschen Dendrologischen Gesellschaft" (1909); Koidzumi, "Conspectus Rosacearum Japonicarum" (1913); Miyoshi, "Japanische Bergkirschen ihre Wildformen und Kulturrassen" (1916); Wilson, "The Cherries of Japan" (1916); Miyoshi, "Oka gaisetsu" (1921); Russell, "The Oriental Flowering